LCU L54 Current Affairs - 2019

Indian Navy inducted Landing Craft Utility MK-IV LCU vessel L54 at Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Island. It is fourth of total eighth Mark IV LCU vessels to be inducted into Indian Navy.

Background

The Mark IV LCU vessels are further improved version of Mark III LCU vessels presently being used by Indian Navy. These total 8 vessels under Mark IV category have been ordered by Indian Navy from GRSE. They are amphibious ships with primary role to transport and deploy Main Battle Tanks (MTBs), armoured vehicles, troops and equipment from ship to shore.

LCU MK-IV vessels will be based in Andaman and Nicobar Command. It can be deployed for multirole activities like beaching operations, disaster relief operations, search and rescue, supply and replenishment and evacuation from distant islands. They will contribute to the nation’s maritime security needs.

The first vessels INS LCU 51 was commissioned in 2016. Moreover, two more LCU ships L52 & L53 have been already delivered to Indian Navy. The remaining four ships of same class are in advanced stages of construction

LCU L54

LCU L54 has been indigenously designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. It has 90% indigenous content. It is 62.8 meters long and 11 meters wide. It is fitted with 2 MTU 16V 4000 M 53 marine Diesel Engines each fitted with one Fixed Pitch Propeller generating 2 X 1840 KW power.

It has displacement capacity of around 950 Tons. It has endurance of around 1500 nautical miles at 12 knots speed. It is fitted with 2 X CRN-91 indigenous 30mm Guns, 4 X MMG and 2 X HMG to provide artillery fire to support during attack missions. It also boasts of modern habitability conditions with accommodation for 216 personnel. It is also fitted with state-of-the-art equipment and advanced systems like Integrated Bridge System (IBS) and Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).